Class



3 Sheets-Sheet l VH. RHSETRIGHT Filed Aug. 19, 1930 l mvg-moa E? @W ma., M M

PORTABLE MACHINE FOR PRINTING TICKETS fam @1102 m2P54561 2 5 4 5 l luly 19, 1932.

July 19, 1932. H. R. SET'RIGHT 1,868,027

PORTABLE MACHINE FOR PRINTING TICKETS 3 SheetS-Shee 2 Filed Aug. 19, 1950 1 1 04,. 1 Mo -..im 7 0 w1. Nr 00%. -m 1,9 sa 2mm E, D 1V y July 19, 1932. H. R. sETR'lGHT 1.868.027

PORTABLE. MAGHINE FOR PRINTING TICKETS l Filed Aug. 19, 195o*` 3 Sheets-sheetf :s

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Z1 INVENTOR 7 M" ff mz? *ff Patented `luly 19, 1932 fr @Fris HENRY ROY SETRIGHT, OF LONDON, ENGLAND PORTABLE MACHINE FOR PRINTING TICKETS Application led August 19, 1930, Serial No. 476,320, and in Great Britain November 2, 1929. v

This invention relates to portable machines for printing tickets and isy particularly intended for use of passenger'carrying vehicles such as tramWay-cars and omnibuses but is applicable for use in any case in Which tickets have to be issued as receipts for petty amounts. a

According to the present invention there is provided a portable machine for printing the value `of a ticket and other variable data on ticket blanks intended to be manually inserted oneat a ltime int-o the machine from the outside, comprising a casing having an opening through Which a blank 'is to be manulally inserted, a plurality of settable typemembers With Which an inserted blank is in operative relation, and one of which is arranged to print the value of a ticket onthe blank, setting means manually operable from Without the casing for setting the type members, a platen co-operating With the type members and an actuating handle Which'is operatively connected to the platen, and, when actuated, causes the platen to make a printing stroke. The blanks may have certain standard data such as the name of the undertaking and the number of the route pre-printed on them but are otherwise the same for all values.

It is now the practice to have a separate kind of ticket of each value and all the tickets have all the stages printed on them. These tickets are cancelled by punching them With a hole opposite the stage to which they are available.

As one of these tickets is in itself valuable, it is necessary to keep a careful check by Vmeans of the punchings Which are collected in the punch to see that all the tickets issued are cancelled. With the present inven` tion Vthe tickets have no value until they are printed so that the system of checking may be dispensed with. Ithas been proposed to provide a ticket issuing machine Which contains a. roll of blanks and is operated toV print and issue a ticket at the time of sale. Such machines obviate the necessity for the above-mentioned checking but are bulky and expensive since complicated mechanism is re-` quired for feeding severing and ejecting the tickets printed and are liable to breakdown in service owing to the paper blocking the machine. The present machine on the -contrary can be lightly constructed. y

rThe machine is preferablyprovided With 65 a units counter and means operated by thej" actuating handle under the control of the value type-member for actuating the counter to totalize` the values of the tickets issued'. This counter serves to show the amount Which has been taken in exchange for the tickets. The machine may also be provided With a counter arranged to count theV number of tickets issued. Y

According to another feature of the invention the platen is mounted to reciprocate in the casing and spring-pressed tovvards the type members and there is provided an actuating shaft on which the actuating handle is secured and Which is mounted in the casing so that its axis extends substantially at right angles to the direction of the movementof the platen, an abutment carried by the platen and a co-operating cam secured to the operating shaft and arranged to move the lplatenj away from the type members and to release it suddenly as the handle is operated. Conveniently, the actuating handle is turned through a complete revolution for each -tickn et printing cycle and there is provided a de-` tent device for locking the handle in its initial position which device is operable from outside the casing to release the handle at the beginning of aprinting operation and acts to relock the handle automatically at the, end of such operation. Y The type members may be Wheels secured 4each to a separate one of a plurality of nested setting shafts which extend parallel to the operating shaft and reach through the` casing. Each setting shaft is preferably provided with a setting knob or the like outside the casing and for convenience in operation the value setting knob which is most frequently used is preferably located on the same side of the casing as the actuating handle While the other knobs are located onthe opposite side of the casing.

Other features of the-invention include means for locking the value printing Wheel While the actuating handle is being operated and means for feeding an inking ribbon stepby-step during the operation of the machine.

For a'better understanding of these and other features of the invention a preferred construction thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is a similar'view to Figure 1 but' with the front cover of the machine removed, Figures 3, 4 and 5 are cross sections on the linesv3-,3, 4-4 and 5-f5 respectively of Figure 2.V

Figure 6 is a detail View showing certain of the parts shown in the upper right hand cornerof Figure'2 in cross section and to a larger' scale.

Figures 7 and 8 are developments of alter- Y native value-setting wheels employed, and

Figure 9 shows a ticket printed by the machine.

ybe reversed to the operator to whom the VLike reference numerals indicate like parts throughout all the figures of the drawings.

For convenience of description it will be assumed that the machine is attached to the operators person by means of shoulderv straps,

his body.

the back of the machine being against All references to left right top vbottom front and back will be made from the view point of a person facing the operator so that such references will be correct for Figures 1 and 2. It should be noted, however, that right and left will Y left side of the machine as defined above kand shown in Figure 1 would be the right handside of the machine.

The whole of the mechanism is housed in a light metal case preferably formed of a i is completed by a second top 17 serves to close a gap 16 and 12 and is attached ,to these plates by`v hard wearing aluminium alloy. This case comprises (see Figure 2) three vertical plates 10, 11 and 12 which are rigidly secured to a bottom plate 13. A top plate 14 extends between and is secured to the plates 10 and 11 and a horizontal intermediate plate 15 exi' tends between and is secured to the plates 11 and 12. The permanent structure of the case plate 16 which is secured to the intermediate plate 11. A plate between the plates screws so that it can be removed for a purpose to be described later. Referring to Figslotted along their edges at 20 to receive aV i 19. These plates ures 3, 4 and 5 it will be noticed that the top plates 14 and 16 and the bottom plates are front cover plate 18 and a back cover plate are removable to give access to the mechanism but are held in position by screws.

The front plate is formed with a windowA a window 21 labelledA 2()k labelled Cash,

f and 11.

the printing wheels and a ticket blank may be inserted through it into operative relation tothe printing wheels.

The left hand printing wheel 28 is used for printing fare values on the inserted tickets rand is rigidly attached to setting shaft 27 (see Figure 6). The left hand extremity of this shaft extends outside the casing and is secured to a knurled knob 33 and an index wheel 34, the index wheelbeing suitably engraved on its periphery to indicate the various positions of the value printing wheel. A star wheel 35 (Figure 3) is secured to the shaft 27 inside the case and co-operates with a roller 36 mounted on a pivoted klever 37 which is pressed by a spring 38 towards the star wheelso as to hold the latter in its ad- ]ustedposition. A

The other four printing wheels 29-32 I print theclass, date, tripor hour and stage respectively, and are each connected to a' separate hollow shaft 39. These four shafts 39 are nested together as shown in Figure 6 and each carries at its outer end an index wheel 40. YEachrwheel has a'notclied flange 41 b y which it can be rotated. A lug` 42 is secured tothe case and carries four spring-pressed balls 43, one for each-index wheel 40. Each ball is spring-'pressed upwardly to engage a iiotchin the flange of associated wheel and locate this wlieel in its adJusted position.

Horizontally disposed in parallel alignment to the setting shaft 27 is a screwed shaft 1 and 4) which extends icc- 44 (Figures 2, 3 tween and isjournalled in the plates 10 and 1l and which is geared to the setting'shaft by gears 45`and 46 (Figure 4) The screwed shaft carries a'nut 47 with a forked extension v48 (Figures 2 and extending at right angles to its bore. T he limbs of the forked Yextension lie one at each side of a small spur gear 49 and embrace its bosses so as to prevent rotation of the nut (see Figure 2) The spur gear 49 yhas a square bore by which it is slidably mounted on a square shaft 50 disposed in parallel ali gnment with the screwed shaft; suitable bearings are provided for the ends of the squared siaft on the plates 10 Rigidly square sh secured to the left-hand end of the ft is a toothed gear 51 which intergears through an idler gear 52 with a mechanical units counter 53 carried by the plate i 10 and visible through the window 20 in the front of the machine. Y

An operating shaft 54 eXtends underneath and parallel to the squareshaft. One end of this shaft passes through a suitablebearing in the left hand side plate 10 of the case and has a cranked operating handle 55 rigidly secured to it. The other end passes througha suitable bearing inthe partition plate 11 into the lower right-hand compartmenty and has a snail cam 56 (Figures 2 and 5) rigidly se cured to it.

A mutilated stepped gear 57 (Figures 2 and 3) is rigidly secured to the operating shaftin the left hand compartment, and is, in eHect, a series of toothed gear segments of the same pitch diameter and diametral. pitch, but with numbers of teeth varying from 0 to 12 (see Figure 2). Its teeth engage with the spur gear 49 on the square shaft.

It'will be seen .that any rotary movement of the value setting shaft 27 consequent on the setting of the value printing wheel will be transmitted to the screw 44 and translated into longitudinal movement of the nut 47.

The nut will thus adjust thespur gear 49 along the `square shaft 50, so that the spur gear will engage with part of the stepped fgear having a predetermined number of teeth.

The arrangementis such that the spur wheel always engages with a part of the stepped gear having a number of teeth proportional to the value of the ticket which the machine is set to print.' Thus if the value is v31/2d. the number of teeth will 'be 7 and so on the number of teeth being equal to the-value in 1/2d. When the operating handle is turned the stepped gear turns and rotates the spur wheel and the square shaft a number of steps of movement equal to the number of teeth engaged by the spur wheel as determined by its setting along the square shaft. The consequent rotation of the square shaft is transmitted to the mechanical units counter by means of the toothed gearing aforementioned which thus totalizes the values of the tickets printed. In the machine shown the value is totalized in 1/2d'. t

A second mechanical units-counter 58 vis mounted on the bottom plate 13 of the machine and is operated by gears 59, 60. and 61 (Figures 2 and 3) directly from the operating shaft. This counter counts the number of actuatious of the operating handle and consequently the number of tickets visible at the window 21.

Y Figure 7 shows the development of the value index wheel and it will be noted the printed and is values from l/Zd. to 6d. can be printed together with the symbol X. This symbol is used as a cancellation mark and, when the value index wheel is adjusted to this mark, the spur wheel 49 is in its extreme left hand position cooperates with a part of the wheel 57 that Ahas no teeth. Thus `with this setting the cash units counter 53 will not be actuated. In the `normal' position of they machine the spur wheel 49 is inv mesh with the longest tooth on the wheel 57 so that it cannot be rotated accidentally or maliciously without operating the handle 55y (see Figures 2 and 3). On refer` shaft has been completed. As an additionalV precaution against accidentalrotation of the shaft 50, this shaft has a star wheel 107 secured to it and a spring-pressed detent 108 engages the star wheel and impositive'ly holds it against accidental movement.

A vertical shaft 62 is centrally disposed in the bottom right hand compartment and is slidably mounted in suitable bearings in the lhorizontal division plate 15 and the bottom plate 13 of the machine (see Figures 2 and 5).

The upper end ofthe vertical shaft passes into the upper right hand compartment and has secured to it a metal plate 63 of rectangular section, the upper face Lof which carries a rubber insert 64. This rubber-faced plate is of sufficient length to serve as a printing platen for the group of printing wheels on the setting shaft. j i

.The vertical shaft has a collar 65secured to it near the centre of its length, and the.

collar is formed with aprojection 66the Lipper face of which co-operates with the snail cam 56 secured to the operating shaft. The collar forms a thrust plate for a spring 67 `which is held in compression between the bottom plate vof the machine and the collar.

It will be understood that the yprojection 66 on the vertical shaft will be forced by the compression #spring to follow the profile of the snail cam 56 on the operating shaft when y `the latter is turned by means of its handle.

As the cam isso profiled that Vits greatest diameter changes to its smallest `along a straight line radiating from the centre of the shaft, it will be obvious that thefreciproeating movement transmitted to l the vertical shaft will be hammer-like in an upward direction and gradual in a downward direction. The disposition of the printing facesI of the type wheels of the setting shaft and the face ofthe printing platen on the vertical shaft is such that-the upward movement of the platen will terminate in contactwith the type wheel faces, or an any paper ticket .blank placed between the type wheels and the platen.

vAn inking ribbon 68 (Figure 5) is provided which passes over theprinting face of the type and is wound on two bobbins 69 formed with a spindle 71 at each end and .and 7 O situated in the upper portion of the 1".,35'them (See Figure 5)- f trol slide 82 situated on the top plate 16 outtwoholes 72 in each flange (see Figure 6). Two ratchet wheels7 3 and 74 having their teeth facing 7 in opposite directions are mounted to rotate in the plate 11 and each of them is formed with a central bore 75 and an eccentric projecting pin 76. The spindle atone end of each bobbin is received in the bore of one of the ratchet wheels andthe pin on that wheel passesthrough one of the holes in ther flange of 'the bobbin so that each bobbin is supported at one end by, and is rotatable with, one of the ratchet wheels. The spindle at the other end of the bobbin Yw69 is received in a bore 77 of an indicating disc 78 which is Vmounted to rotate in the v plate 17 (see Figure 6). A pinf79 on the indicating disc passes into one of the holes 72 so that the disc rotates with the bobbin. One iiange of the indicating disc is outside I 20 the oase and carries a projection 8O which serves v,to show whether the disc and bobbin '96 are rotating and therefore whether the ribbon isV being fed during the operation of the machine. The other spindle of the bobbin 7 0 ris received in a boss (not shown) on the plate 17.` Y f p Y It will be noted that the removal of the 'side plate 1-7 (together with the index wheels 40 Vand connected printing wheels) v gives ac- 71"'30 cess-to the ribbon bobbins which may then be removed ribbon.

The ratchets cooperate with a double barbed pawl 81 which is located between The pawl 81 is brought into engagement with either one of the ratchet wheels by means of a hand operated confor the purpose of changing the side the case. The connection between the pawl vand the'control slide is made by a spring wire rod 83 rigidly secured at 84erl to the shank tical motion.

The shank 83a of the pawl is crankedto clear the lboss vof the value printing wheel and passes through an opening in the plate vided. with a cross-bar 84 so as to forman inverted T. Two springs 86 are anchored to the ends Vof Vthe cross-bar 84 and to the case'of the machine and pull thepawl 81 downwardly while the cross-bar rests on the Voperating shaft 54. A pin 85 is secured to Vthe .snail cam 56 and as the operatingshaftv is Yturnedy thepin raises the cross-bar and ypawl luntil the latter engages the next tooth ofone of theratchet wheels. On further rotationof the operating shaft, the springs 86 draw the pawly downwards and the. pawl ofthe pawl, and passing at itsV upper end freely'into a hole bored in the f Y centre of the control slide. This spring wireV 4the operating handle.

At its lower end the shank 830J is prothen' rotates the ratchet wheel to feed the ribbon.

From Figure stroke of the pawl is effected by the springs and not positively. Thus when the supply bobbin becomes exhausted, the ribbon will be tensioneduntil the tension in the springs is insufficient to rotate the other bobbin. The ribbon feed will then vcease to function and itwill not be possible to tension the ribbon further and damage the ribbon as might occur with a positive ribbon feed. Thus the tension in the springs 86 is such that the ribbon cannot be overloaded if the operator neglects to reverse the ribbon feed.

This arrangement enables the ribbon to be moved step by step in either direction, the ribbon passing Vfrom one bobbin to the other alternately according to with which ratchet the pawl is vbrought into .engagement by means of the manually controlled slide.

A double-endednon-return pawl -87 (Figure 5) is pivot-ally mounted at 88 on the plate 11 so as to co-operate with either ratchet wheel. A spring pressed ball 89 is mounted inthe slide 82 and can engage one or other of two depressions which are located on the top face of the pawl 87 and one on each side of the pivot 88. The pawl 87 is thusspringpressed towards one of the ratchetwheels' 7 3 and 7 4 as determined by the setting of the control slide 82.

The machine isso arranged that one complete rotation of the operating handle 55 causes the platen to ates both counters. At the end of eachrotation the handle is automatically locked in aninitial position by the following mechanismwhich prevents excess rotation.

Referring to Figure 37 a jection 91 on it is provided on'the'left hand end ofthe operating shaft. This projection is shaped like the tooth of a ratchet wheel. A hooked lever 92 is pivoted at 93 on the plate 10 and the upper end of the lever is formed so that it will come into contact with the projection 91 formed upon the stepped gear in the initial position (shown in Figure 3) of f The engagement of these two elements arrests the operating shaft at the end of each ticket printing operation. They are normally held in engagement by means of a tension spring 94 attached to the lower part 95 of the hooked lever and to the plate 10, and the lower part 95 ofthe lever reaches through a slot 96 in the bottom plate of the case. To free they machine for operation, it is necessaryV for the operator first to press the lower part 95 of the lever towards the back of the machine sufficiently-to bring the upper end of the lever out of engagement with the projection on the disc. This movement of the part 95 is in the same direction as the initial movement of the handle 55 so that the operatorwho will grasp the handle in his 5 it will be seen that the feed disc with a pro-- rBIS right hand can operate the lever 92 with the first finger or thumb of his hand as he presses on the handle andwill release the lever naturally when he turns the handle. ,A ratchet wheel 97 isvgearedto theshaft 54 (Figure 4) and co-operates with a non-return ipawl 98 pivoted on the plate 11 of the caseuand held in contact with the Wheel by means of a ten sion spring :99 also attached to the plate 11. This arra-ngementwill prevent any reverse action of the operating handle.

In order toV provide a safeguard against fradulent manipulation of the machine and at the same time ensure thattheoperatOnS of the machine shall only take place in correct sequence, locking means: is provided.

Y A boss 100 is formed on the ratchet wheel 97 and has a V-notch 101. cut into it. l A double armed lever .102 is pivotally-mounted on the division plate l1. One end 103 of this lever is formed to litinto the V-notch in the flange, and theother end 104 isshaped so as to be capable of entry linto the notches of a notched wheel 105 mounted upon the value setting shaft 207. A coil spring 106 attached to the arm and wound round its pivot tends to engage this lever with the Venotch and the relation between the ends of the lever is such that, when the lower end 103 is fully engaged with the V-notch,the oppositeend 104 is disengaged from the wheel 105. TheY V-notch` is so positioned on theoperating shaft that the lever enters in it at the conclusion of each ticket printing operation, i. e.

e when the handle is in its initial position as shown. The value wheel on the setting shaft may then be set to any desired position. When the handle is actuated and the operating shaft turns, the V-notch will force the lower end 108 of the lever outwards and at the same time depressing the other end 104 into a notch on the wheel 105, thus locking the value printing wheel from any further manipulation until the conclusion of the printing operation in progress.

Further, if the value-setting wheel is improperly adjusted tO a position between one of its settings the upper end 104 of the lever will engage a projection on the wheel 105 and will be locked against movement. Owing to the lever being locked the operating shaft will also be locked. Thus the machine cannot be actuated when the value wheel is improperly adjusted.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The operator sets the various index wheels to the proper positions as determined by the index characters'appearing on a central lineV across the top of the machine. The operator then inserts a ticket 109 (Figure 9) with his left hand through the slot 22 until it meets an abutment 111 (Figure 5). The .ticket bears preprinted matter 110 and is inserted with the printed side uppermost. The

adjustment of the value index wheelV adjusts the spur wheel 49 along the square shaft 50.

The operator then actuates the lever 92195 with the first finger of his right hand and turns the handle 55 through one revolution at, the end of which it is relocked. On the operating shaft turning, the snail @am 56 releases the platen which is movedupwards to print the ticket. The pin then raises the ribbon feed pawl 81 ribbon feed oper.-` ation follows. Towards the end of the rotation of the operating shaft, the two units counters are actuated by that shaft and the printing operation ,is complete.

. Figure 9 shows the printed ticket which contains all the information required to de= tect fraudulent use of the ticket. Of; the four index wheels 40 only the class `.Wheel (the extremerlght hand wheel) needs t0 be adjustedat all frequently. VThe stage and trip wheels are adjusted from time to time at the beginning of each stage or trip while the code wheel is adjusted at the beginning of each day. The trip printing wheel can print the number 1 to 24 and may be used, de-A sired, to print the hour of the day ,instead of the number ofthe trip. The first hitterv Of the code identilies the machine printing the ticket, while theseoond identies the day of issue. .When a return ticket is handed in the operator sets the value Wheel to the X position and prints on the end 112 of the ticket. Thev ticket is thus cancelled but the cash units counter 58 is not actuated, es .is required since n o cash has been taken.

Whenprepaid tickets are employed, the machine is modified by ornittingthe abut? ment Ylll and by forming a slot .in the rear plate of the easing so that the ticket may l m5 modilicatlon consists of provldlng additional Y Pass, fghtthfugh the machine. A further non-cash registering printing positions lar to. axvr.

For, example, assuming that, it was deT srecl to usel/-prepaid tickets end that the fare stages were one penny each, the total distance covered by the vehicle on one jour.- ney did notexceed sixpence in value then for this purpose the printing wheel is arranged to print ld. to 6d. and l to 6, and the value index wheel is engraved as'shown in Fi ure8.f The mutilated wheel 57 has Aonly six teeth and has no teeth on the portion with .which the Spur wheel `4 9 Cso-,operates for the value-wheelsettings 1to 6.

-When the conductormakes a cash Sele and say 3d. is tendered, the value yindex wheel is set to` 3d, and aticket printed aceordingly- The 3d. will be then added onto Athe cash counter. If a prepaid ticket .is tene y-dered for the same fare., the Value index wheel is set to 3 and the machine actuated lonce to ,cancel its .velue to the extent of The cash counter is not actuated by this 0perationbut theticket counter is, so .that aV l be of value and can correct record ofthe number of passengers carried is secured. Y

When the figures stamped upon va prepaid ticket add up ytotwelve,'the ticket ceases to be no further used.

1. A portable machine for printing the value of a ticket and other variable data on ticket blanks intended to be manually in serted one at a time into the machine from the outside, comprising a casing having an opening through `which Va blank is to be manually inserted a plurality of settable type wheels with which an inserted blank is in operative relation and one of which is arranged to print the value of a ticket on a blank, a plurality of nested setting shafts each having a separate one of the type wheels secured to it and reaching through the casing to the outside-thereof, a setting member secured to each setting shaft outside the casing, a platen mounted to reciprocate in the casing towardsand away from the type wheels, a spring pressing the platen. towards the typemembers, an actuating shaft which is mounted in the casing so that its axis extends substantially at right angles to the direction of movement of the platen and parallel to the axis of the nested setting shafts, van actuating handle secured to the actuating shaft, an abutment carried by the platen, a co-operating cam secured to the operating shaft and arranged to move the platen away from the type-members and to release it suddenly as the handle is operated, a toothed wheel operato followfsaid cam, means for preventing rotationlof the actuating shaft in one direction, a detent arrangedfto engage the actuating handle -in'itsinitial position and re'- strain itfrom'rotation in the other direction7 means operable from outside the casing for releasing said detent to permit rotation of the actuating handle, a locking wheel carried by the setting shaft, a locking member co-operating with said wheel and a cam secured to the actuating shaft and arranged to move said'member -into locking engagement with the wheel when said handle is actuated.

3.*A portable machine for printing the value of aticket and other variable data on ticket blanks, comprising a casing, a plurality of Y setta'ble type-members, setting means manually operable from without the casingfor setting theYtype-members, a platen arranged to co-operate with the type-members, an actuating handle, an operative connectionbetween the vactuating handle and platen for causing the4 platen to make a printing stroke when the actuating handle is actuated, av non-return device forpreventing movement of the handle in a reverse direction, a member formed with a single tooth and secured on the shaft, a pawl co-operating with the tooth to prevent movement of the shaft in a forward direction and'extending Yto outside the casing and a spring for holding the pawl against the toothed member.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

' HENRY ROY SETRIGHT.

tively connected to the setting shaft for the value type wheel so as to be adjusted to angular position in accordance with the set- Y ting of said shaft, a locking member movable between a locking position in which it engages and locks said toothed wheel against adjustment and a free position in which the toothed wheel is unlocked and a disc which is operatively connect-ed to the actuating shaft to rotate therewith and the periphery of which engages and holds the locking member in its locking position and is formed with a recess into which'the locking member can enter to move to its free position only when the actuatingrhandle is in its initial position.

2. A portable machine for printing the Y valueof a ticket and other variable data on ticket blanks intended to be manually'inserted one at a time into the machine 'fromfthe outside, comprising a casing having anopening through which a blank is Vto be manually inserted, a type wheel for printing the value on the blank, a setting shaft secured to the type wheel and extending to the outside of the casing, a platen which is mounted in the casing to reciprocate towards and away from the type wheel, an actuating shaft, a handle secured to said actuating shaft, a cam secured to said actuating shaft-and co-operating with the platen, aV spring for causingthe platen 

